June 2016 Ministry Highlight:Serving Youth in Scammon Bay

It is no secret that teachers have a unique ability to impact young lives in a special way. This is one of many reasons why CYAK is so encouraged by partnerships with Christian teachers in rural Alaska. Michelle Benisek first came to Alaska to serve at Covenant Bible Camp in Unalakleet for two summers during college. She shares how through that experience she became aware of the need for teachers and church youth workers in the village. Over time, she decided to move to a village to teach and live, and she did!

In 2011, Michelle moved to Scammon Bay, a community of about 500 people in the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta region, and home to one of the 19 Covenant churches in Alaska. Over the past 5 years she has made an incredible impact! She is concluding her time in Scammon this year, but leaves with a full heart.Read in Michelle’s words about her experience:

What made you decide to start volunteering with youth in Scammon?I believe in lifestyle ministry. I am so incredibly thankful for pastors, missionaries, and youth pastors that have devoted their lives to serving the church body. Growing up in the church I have observed and seen the need for members of the church body to volunteer their time and gifts as well. When each member of the church body is seeking out how God can use them to serve, support and give everyone is better off. When I moved to Scammon Bay I was in a completely different culture and I wanted to observe, learn, and be apart of the church body that was already alive here. I was prayerfully seeking how and where God wanted to use any of His gifts through me.

After about a year, I had a few conversations with a family from the church, our pastor, and CYAK about youth ministry in Scammon Bay. Youth ministry had been done before in different ways in the past, they all encouraged me to pray about where God was leading me to volunteer and then they encouraged me to try. Honestly, I needed to know I had that church family support. A few families encouraged their girls to come to Bible study and they kept coming! A few families mentioned wanting their kids to go to Unalakleet Bible Camp, so we did some fundraising and ended up sending more and more every summer.

What has been encouraging working with youth?Seeing youth grow in their faith and want to live it out in their daily lives. I also LOVE hearing kids talk about Bible Camp through the year!​

What has been challenging working with youth?Trying to schedule around school activities - youth ministry has many of the same struggles everywhere! Many of our youth have faced tragic life events at a young age (related to suicide, depression, and substance abuse) and just want a listening ear or an adult that they can trust.

Do you have some favorite youth group memories? I love the in-between moments. Planned youth groups and Bible studies are fun and full of learning, but the everyday life is what it’s about. In a small village a youth worker or teacher sees their kids everyday and multiple times a day. I love walking down the road and seeing students from youth group (or maybe they don’t go at all) and just stopping to chat. The knock on the door asking if they can hang out or the text to go out sliding or berry picking. Those are the moments and memories where the meaningful conversations within youth ministry happen. This is what I love the most and will miss the most in moving from Scammon Bay.

How can supporters be praying? I was so thankful when a full time youth worker, through CYAK, moved to Scammon Bay in 2014. Drew and Holly Williams have been such a blessing along with Allie Whitaker (another teacher) and Chance Hunter who all share a passion for youth ministry. When this group arrived the small group girl’s dinner Bible study exploded! It is amazing what can grow out of new ideas and volunteering hands and hearts! They are an answer to prayers! Please, continue to pray for these leaders in Scammon Bay and for the youth of Scammon Bay to continue to seek and grow in their faith. ​